My Sweet Love, Hold Me Close
by Saige C.P
Summary: Snarry. Harry disappeared 14 years ago after the final battle at the ministry but Harry's friends never knew what became of him. Until now...IN PROGRESS!


My Sweet Love, Hold Me Close

By Saige C.P

Dedicated to all my amazing reviewers...

Harry sat on the windowsill of Flourish's bookshop, staring distantly out into the crowded Diagon Alley. He wore tinted sunglasses over his eyes, despite being indoors and the weather not being particularly pleasant. Every couple or so minutes he glimpsed a familiar face in the crowd; Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Luna Lovegood, people he hadn't seen in years, people he hardly recognised at all.

How he wished he could step out of the shop and call after them every time one of them passed by.

But it was impossible; they couldn't know he was alive, no one from his past could know anything. He doubted they would even recognize him anyway, with the dark glasses, bristled chin, longer hair and the multiple scars that now accompanied the lightning bolt on his forehead.

A boy, fifteen, with wild hair and bottle-green eyes appeared by his side. 'Dad?'

'Asher,' Harry acknowledged his eldest son, placing a fatherly hand on the boy's arm.

'What's wrong?' Asher asked him.

Harry tore his eyes away from the street outside to face his son, a near-exact image of his younger self. 'Oh, don't worry about me; I'd just lost myself in the past for a moment, that's all.' He smiled. 'Has Papa found his books yet?'

'No,' Asher smiled too, 'Adriel and Lily are helping him though, and Aaric and Angel are too interested in the jinxes' column to be bothered.'

'And what of you, my Asher?' Harry eyed the boy suspiciously.

'I just want Papa to hurry up so we can get to the Quidditch store already!' he laughed. 'Can't I just go now, Dad?'

'Asher, you know we have to stick together when we go out in public like this,' Harry reminded him sternly, 'you never know if someone might realise who we are.'

'Yeah, I know,' Asher sighed and he too turned to stare out the shop window, 'I just wish we didn't have to be so cautious…I wish I could go to Hogwarts too, like all these other kids…'

Harry felt a pain stab in his chest at his son's words, at how unfair things were on him and his siblings, though they hardly ever complained. Harry squeezed Asher's arm slightly. 'Someday my son, someday.' And there was a brief silence between them. 'You know, if you want to get to the Quidditch place so badly why don't you go help Papa? Aaric and Angel are probably driving him crazy back there, and I'm sure he'll really appreciate your assistance.'

'Alright, Dad,' Asher said, giving his father a quick hug before disappearing amongst the shelves once again.

Harry continued to stare out the shop window, immersing himself once more in the days when he had roamed this place with his friends as a boy. He had not seen Diagon Alley since before his third year at Hogwarts and this was his childrens' first trip. It bothered him that he wasn't able to take them out like this more often, but it was all for their safety, and Dumbledore constantly insisted upon it. He was glad however that things had run smoothly and that no complications had arisen, and then again, he was still somewhat disappointed. What he wouldn't give to take off those glasses and have an old friend recognise him in the street. He was starved to know how everyone was doing; how and if their lives had changed since the battle at the ministry fourteen years ago.

'Aaric, don't you dare open that book-' he heard his husband yell before his words were drowned out by several screams and outcries from the children, the sound of ripping paper, the snapping jaws of some obscure beast and above all the joyful, mischievous laughter of one of his pranksters of a son. He could hear his husband swearing as he fought to restore calm once again, and from what Harry was hearing; he was failing miserably. 'How many times have I told you not to go near those bloody monster books, you little-'

Harry didn't even bother to turn around; only smiled wildly, resisting the urge to laugh at his husband's helplessness with their children, even after all these years...

When the chaos continued and Harry was sure he heard Aaric's voice screaming, 'Hey, look! There's more of them!' he had been about to go help and hopefully restore calm before the poor shop owner had a heart attack, when-

'Hermione? Ron?'

A couple; a lean woman with bushy brown hair, a lovely smile, dark eyes and a tall man with bright ginger hair, countless freckles, holding some shopping bags whilst carrying a small girl on his back, had just passed Flourish's. Harry couldn't believe his eyes; and before he knew it he was out the store and running down the street after them.

'Hey!' he tried to call after them but his voice seemed to have deserted him, he was too shocked to speak. 'Hey!' he tried again, this time with more success. He soon reached them, running around them and stopping in front of them to block their way. The trio halted half a metre from him, meeting his hooded eyes, evidently puzzled by this stranger disturbing their family outing.

'Um, can we help you?' the women asked. Yes, she was definitely Hermione; he recognised her voice. Again, words abandoned him. What was he supposed to say? All he could do was gape stupidly at them, probably looking like a complete wacko, as Hermione, Ron and the little girl on his back stared at him confoundedly.

'Sorry, but,' Ron muttered, stepping back slightly, pulling Hermione back with him, 'do we know you?'

Knowing they'd turn and walk if he didn't do something soon, he acted. He took a step closer while simultaneously taking his shady glasses off. The couple gasped, their jaws dropped. 'Ron, Hermione,' he said hopefully, another step closer.

Ron looked more uncertain than ever. Slowly, never taking his eyes off of him, he gently lowered the little girl on his back to the ground then stood full height to observe him properly. Perhaps he thought it was all an illusion, perhaps he thought he was an intruder. 'H-Harry?'

Harry smiled happily, and then slowly nodded his head as his two best friends smiled back at him.

'Harry!' they cried at once and suddenly he was engulfed in their embrace, clinging to one another as if they couldn't believe this was real. Ron was laughing joyously, almost hysterically while Harry and Hermione wept together, chuckling all the while; feeling just so damn happy.

'Merlin, Harry!' Hermione wept into Harry's shoulder. 'We thought you were dead!

'We missed you, mate!' Ron cried, his Weasley grin stretching from ear to ear.

Harry smiled at them. 'I missed you too, you guys! So, so much-' He caught sight of the little girl standing behind his friends, obviously lost at what to do, probably wondering why her parents were hugging a stranger. He smiled down at her as he let go of the other two, noting the frizzy brown hair and pale blue eyes. 'And who is this?'

'This is our daughter, Rose,' Hermione said, bringing the girl forward, 'Sweetheart, this is our good friend, Harry Potter.'

Rose's eyes widened slightly at that last part but otherwise she smiled up at him, shyly. 'Hello.'

Ron put his arm around his daughter, a look of fatherly pride in his eyes. 'Rose is starting Hogwarts this year!' he said, motioning to the various shopping bags at his feet.

'Wow, that's…that's really wonderful, you guys…I'm sorry I wasn't there…you know…'

'Harry,' Ron interrupted him, grinning at his stuttering, 'we're just so happy to have you back…'

Harry felt his stomach drop. 'Yeah, um, about that-'

'Look at you!' Hermione grinned looking him up and down more closely. 'You're almost as tall as Ron!'

'And what's with the hair?' Ron roared with laughter, pulling at a lock of Harry's shoulder length hair. The adults all laughed, so hard they couldn't stop for several minutes.

'Where have you been?' Ron asked, grabbing his shoulder again, double-checking he was there.

'Everyone's been in a frenzy over you,' Hermione added.

Harry looked sad again. 'I know. I'm sorry I left; I had to.'

Ron and Hermione looked confused. 'What are you talking about?'

'Had to what?' Hermione asked, looking a little worried. Harry didn't respond, instead his eyes looked past them, seemingly into the distance. They followed his gaze and found he was staring at a tall, dark man who had just exited the book shop, who was oddly familiar. The man glanced around, obviously looking for someone amongst the crowd.

'Harry? Where are you, love?' he called worriedly, his hand reaching for the inside of his robe, ready to draw his wand.

Ron and Hermione turned at the same time and looked back at Harry, who stepped forward till he stood between them, his eyes set on the mysterious man. Did Harry know this man? Ron certainly didn't hope so; something about the man unmoved him.

'Severus, I'm here,' he called back and the daunting figure spotted them and made his way over.

Hermione glanced at Ron questioningly and Harry was sure he heard her mouth 'Severus?' to her husband though he was sure she hadn't thought he'd heard her.

Ron ignored his wife and continued to stare at the approaching figure unsurely. Then, when he was less than a metre away, he recognised him. But why- 'What the f-'

More figures emerged from the bookshop, following the tall man. They were children, five of them, all looking to be around the ages fifteen to maybe twelve. There was a weird silence as Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione again uncertainly.

'Harry?' Ron repeated. What in hell was going on?

Hermione's eyes where darting from Harry, to the older man, then to all the children gathered around the two and back again so fast Harry was surprised she hadn't gotten dizzy yet. 'Had…had to what, Harry?'

For a moment she was sure he wasn't going to answer her but then, wetting his lips nervously he said, 'Had to…protect my family…'

'Your-' Ron began but then stopped. He looked over the children more closely and found many pairs of emerald or obsidian eyes staring back at him under mops of silky auburn hair or messy tufts of jet black. 'Oh…' husband and wife whispered together, if possible their eyes grew even wider.

An awkward silence.

'Hello Weasley, Granger,' muttered the tall, proud figure that was Severus Snape, their former potions master at Hogwarts. Hermione and Ron couldn't believe it was him, he had disappeared as Harry had fourteen years ago and when no one ever found him, presumed dead.

Another awkward silence.

'It's…its Weasley now, actually,' Hermione smiled nervously.

Snape smirked down at her, then at little Rose. 'I see…'

Ron and Hermione didn't know what to do or what to say. Uncomfortable silence ensued once more; even the children were silent as if purely interested in how this meeting would play out. When Ron and Hermione found it hard to even make eye contact with the potions master Severus turned to Harry and stooped to whisper in his ear. 'Perhaps it would be better if I took my leave now?'

'Perhaps,' Harry agreed.

'Shall I take the children with me?'

Harry turned to him, seemed to ponder this for a moment then said, 'No, you go on…we might be a while though.'

The potions master smiled, an action so foreign for him that Ron thought he had imagined him doing it. 'Alright,' he said. He kissed Harry tenderly on the forehead. Harry closed his eyes, a small grin on his face.

'See you at home,' Harry said.

The former potions master glanced at his two ex-students predominantly before leaning forward to whisper in Harry's ear, 'I love you'.

'And I love you,' Harry said, his words shining through in his eyes. Choruses of 'Bye Pa!' and 'See you later Pa!' erupted amongst the five teens as the elder man took his leave.

'Pa?' Ron asked Hermione but she just shook her head, giving him one of her 'Shut up, Ronald!' looks.

For a long time the three friend stared at one another, none of them knowing what to say. But then, 'Do want to get something to eat?' Harry asked the other two.

Hermione was the one who answered. 'Sure.' They had a lot to catch up on...

To be continued...

**Thoughts? Please review!**

**Now, to everyone who has been reading my other fanfiction 'Never Let Me Go'...**

**I posted that I would have the next installment of that** **fiction up, I believe it was, earlier this month? I have (evidently) as of yet failed to do so...and I think I owe everyone an explanation...**

**To sum it up...first, my computer broke down, THEN I got sidetracked with the Christmas preparations and I was left to organise EVERYTHING for the family dinner because my mum decided to go all Grinch-y on me, (meanwhile my computer STILL wasn't working), THEN I got sick and that put me out of action for nearly a week, after which time my computer was up and running again, HOWEVER I had broken up with my now EX-boyfriend so I was too distracted with being depressed and grouchy to realise I hadn't posted up chapter 6 yet...**

**So a thousand apologises to all my readers and reviewers...CHAPTER SIX WILL BE UP ASAP! IF NOT, MAY I BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING!**

**Oh! And Happy New Year!**

**Saige C.P**


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